Darkness Before the Dawn
by Lifeispoetry
Summary: Discontinued. This will be re-done/re-written. I'll start posting info about it soon if anyone is interested.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save my OC's minor or major, doesn't matter, they are mine.**

**A/N: Hey, this is my first attempt at a fan fiction. Please R&R, be brutally honest, I can take it, promise. I hope you like it. ****(Please remember to Read & Review so I know if I'm doing anything well or not!)**

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_Long ago, in the wondrous land of Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs, there was one woman who stood out among the rest. A woman by the name of Semati…_

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"Your highness," a servant called out. The young man is in search of his Queen, her presence requested earlier by a High Priest. And, although it isn't his place, the man can't help but wonder what the Priest needs to speak to the Queen about. Often time's matters are discussed with the Pharaoh and the Queen has seemed somewhat off as of late. Perhaps the Priest in question is simply concerned about how the Queen is faring in this land so distant from her home.

Once more the servant called out to the Queen. He continued down the outdoor walkway towards one of the courtyards and finally stopped. His eyes fell upon the woman he'd been in search of. The foreign beauty of her royal majesty never ceased to capture everyone's attention.

Unlike women native to Egypt, the queen's long hair is a luscious mantle of gold, similar to that of the hot sun and her skin is so delicately pale it appears almost translucent rather than the more sandy opaque that is common to those of this land. Wide green eyes that always look openly upon her people and a smile so kind one would be overcome with the desire to spill all of their innermost secrets to her, adorn the soft features of her face. The queen was quite tall, as well as lean and very feminine. She's quite soft spoken most of the time, excluding those days where her temper flares. Unfortunately, her temper has worsened over the years and her nature has become much more secluded. Many have come to fear her wrath.

"Yes, what is it?" the Queen asked gently, a sign of a good mood. The young man made a short bow before venturing closer to explain what was needed. He couldn't help but feel regret at possibly erasing the jubilance about the Queen as he delivered his message. Ever so slightly, unnoticed by the servant, the woman's eyes tightened. "Very well, you may go," she dismissed him with a flick of her wrist. Waiting until he was gone she held in a frustrated sigh. There could be absolutely no way any of the High Priests knew what she'd been up to. But then, how could they not? She could only keep up the façade for so long before something would slip up. Someone may have said the wrong thing at the wrong time or lost something of the utmost importance. Either way, it would be nothing a High Priest need concern himself with.

With her mind a sudden whirlwind of thought, the Queen made her way to one of the many temples. She took her time along the path for she was contemplating how she should act. She had this nagging feeling she should consult the Pharaoh and yet, her feet took her through the palace and out towards her destination. As she neared, the sense of foreboding grew and the air seemed to thicken with a heavy distaste to her arrival. It was then, as the sky seemed to darken and she stumbled slightly that she realized a greater being was with her.

"Welcome, my Queen," a woman's voice called out from within the shadows, "Please, enter, there is much to be done."

Swallowing her fear, the Queen stood proudly and stepped through the doorway coming face to face with one of the High Priestesses appointed to this temple. "My humblest greetings, milady, right this way," the young Egyptian woman said, her eyes darkened with some unreadable emotion. Together the two women walked down a corridor lit by the setting sun and torches set into the walls every few feet. Each step brought the Queen closer to her inevitable fate. And, with each step the air thickened. An electric charge seemed to run through it. She could only think of one reason for such a thing: the presence of the Gods.

"Who is it that requested I come here?" the sound of her words seemed to be lost soon as they left her lips yet the Priestess heard. "Anu, my Queen. There's an urgent matter at hand and your assistance is required for the task to be fulfilled," the young woman explained. "I see," was all that the Queen said before silence fell around the two once more.

After several tense moments the Priestess stopped. Before her was a large ornate doorway. The Queen looked down at the woman who nodded and ushered her highness into the room. "This is where I leave you, your majesty. Inside you will find Anu waiting to see you. Until we meet again," the younger one bowed and left. With that, the Queen found herself feeling very much alone. Warily she entered and, as the High Priestess had said, found the High Priest Anu waiting by an altar at which tributes would be made to honor the gods, his back to her, studying the sacred hieroglyphs carved into the temple wall.

The soft padding of her slippered feet and the gentle swishing of fabric alerted the man to the presence of the Queen. He turned and looked down at her due to the difference in height, something the Queen did not take too kindly. "I thank you for your time, my Queen," Anu said. He turned towards a wall depicting an image of the great god, Amun-Ra. "I suppose you're wondering why I asked you to come here," Anu began, pausing only to gauge the Queen's reaction. "The Gods are angry, you see. They've spoken to me and told me something rather…disturbing," He continued, voice soft but distinct.

"Tell me what it is that troubles you," the Queen interjected, "and I will see to it that the Pharaoh is told immediately. We shall have the problem fixed at once."

The words left her mouth faster than anticipated and the Queen was taken slightly aback by her own abruptness. Despite the fact that keeping the peace within the kingdom is largely the responsibility of the Pharaoh the High Priests that serve under him do much of that work daily. However, there are times where action greater than a High Priest can take may occur. The Queen felt herself wishing she had kept her mouth shut as this may not be one such instance.

Anu turned to her once more and smiled sadly. "You see, milady," he continued as though her highness hadn't spoken, "I'm afraid it may not be something the Pharaoh can fix…" He trailed off and looked towards the altar. A man stood before them and with a small gasp, Anu fell to his knees. For you see, this isn't just any man. This man, taller than any other the Queen had seen before, grasped a scimitar within one hand and a shield was clasped firmly upon the opposite wrist. He was adorned in the best armor and stood with such a calm, proud demeanor that one could only assume he was an important man. What shocked Anu and the woman beside him the most, however, was the brilliantly crafted helmet upon the stranger's head. Shaped like the head of a hawk and decorated with images of the sun, it could only be one being, one entity.

An audible gasp flew from the lips of the Queen and she found herself kneeling before Amun-Ra, the god of the sun and king of the gods, as well.

"Be still, Anu, you have done your job well," Ra spoke with a sense of finality that one could not ignore. Anu, trembling, nodded and stayed on his knees. "Rise and be gone, I shall continue from here." Once more, the High Priest nodded. Quickly, almost fearfully, he left the Queen and Ra alone.

Moments later, the God spoke again. "Rise, Semati, wife of the Pharaoh, mother of Khura, Queen of Egypt, and meet your fate."

For the first time in ages, Queen Semati felt true fear course through her veins. Her heart beat a rapid, uneven beat within her chest and it wouldn't surprise her if Amun-Ra knew the true effect his presence had on her. She stood, barely, for she trembled just as much as Anu had.

"You know why it is I'm here," Ra began, voice resonant, "and you know what shall become of you soon."

Involuntarily, Semati nodded her head. She wished terribly that the Pharaoh would arrive and speak with Ra, perhaps convince the god of something to stop this, but she knew what a folly that would be. Once the gods have made their decision there's no stopping it.

"For crimes against me, my children and family, the Gods and Goddesses of this land you've come to call your home, you shall be punished," the words hit the Queen like the lashes of a whip upon her face and she found she could not see. She cried out in pain and anguish as she realized what had happened; Ra had taken her sight. Trails of burning tears ran down her cheeks due to the pain of her lost sight. A speedy wind picked up around the two and Semati realized her punishment had not yet been exacted. "And now," Ra called over the rushing of air, "You will perish."

Abruptly, the wind died and all was silent. The Queen wondered if Ra had left. Try as she may, she could not see and thus could not know her surroundings. She could, however, hear. A long time passed before it happened but eventually she finally heard something crash to the floor followed by a cry of fear mingling with shock. "Queen Semati!" was the final thing she heard. The one thing that told her what had transpired, before great silence fell over her ears, and her thoughts slowed into nothingness.

The Queen's fair skin was now paler than originally, nearly transparent, and she appeared even lovelier in death than in life, marred only by the dark trickle of crimson flowing, almost blasphemously, against the parted lips and snowy chin, pooling beneath her upturned face.

Amun-Ra had taken her life.

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_As you have learned, the fate of this woman was brought upon herself. The young servant who had discovered the Queen's corpse rushed tearfully to the palace to inform the Pharaoh of his wife's death. The king mourned for a long time the loss of his beloved, the only memento of her being their only son. The citizens of Egypt were devastated by the demise of the Queen and the pain caused to their king and prince._

_To this day, nobody seems to know what exactly Semati did to anger the gods. In all this life there's just one thing to remember, it can only get worse before it gets better._

_There's always darkness before the dawn…_


	2. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! All OCs belong to me and you may not use them for anything without permission. Please respect that :)**

**A/N: So, hopefully, you have stuck around long enough to read this chapter. Either that or, you were at least intrigued enough to find out more. Well, I hope you will enjoy the story in its entirety and can be patient regarding my erratic updating. For what it's worth, writing through this person's *pulls the Pharaoh over* POV is a major pain in the arse. I hope he is not OOC at all! Now then, enjoy!**

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Atem's POV:

Hurriedly my feet flew down the street, one hand covering my nose and mouth against the stench. Everywhere I turn, my ears fall prey to the anguished cries of my people. I can do nothing to stop their pleas or to help them. "My King, please help me!" "Pharaoh, save us!" "Pharaoh, do something! We beg of you!" "Why aren't you helping us?" "What have we done to deserve this punishment?" "Pharaoh!" "Pharaoh!" "Pharaoh!"

Faster and faster I run, hoping to escape the pleas, the accusations, and the hopelessness of it all. My people need me; my people are…dying… My heels dug into the dirt so suddenly I flew forward, landing on all fours. I became so quickly overcome with sorrow and anger that everything seemed to stop. What am I supposed to do? What _can_ I do? I am just one man…No! I cannot think like that. I cannot allow myself to give up; my people need me to be strong when they cannot. They need me to be their hope. Without a second thought, I pushed myself to my feet and took off once more. _Where am I going? What am I doing?_ Out of nowhere, my surroundings changed. The world faded to black and the Egyptian people were shouting at me, blaming me for their deaths, accusing me of causing this horror.

"No," I shouted over the voices, "No, stop it! This is not my fault! Please, stop it!"

My shouts were futile. My people were turning against me. Nothing I can do. The voices grew louder and I felt myself becoming ever more claustrophobic the nearer they got to me. "Shut up," I commanded. "Back away!" Now I was growing angry. How could they blame me for such a thing as this? There is no conceivable way that I could have caused it in the first place.

"Pharaoh!" They shouted repeatedly as if expecting me to give in and beg for mercy.

"Silence!"

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With a jolt, I shot up into a sitting position. My pulse racing and paranoia at the maximum, I glanced all around me. I was safe, in my quarters, within the palace walls. It was simply a dream, one very vivid dream. I sighed in relief and slumped against my pillows again. Sleep eluded me, however, because I was desperately trying to discover the meaning behind such a dream. Mentally I noted to ask Isis if her Millennium Necklace had revealed anything strange lately. It would not be the first time I have had some sort of premonition.

With the knowledge that laying in silence and almost fearing what I would find should I fall asleep would do me no good, I climbed slowly, wearily, from my bed. My dream, my nightmare, had left me more tired than when I had first gone to bed some hours earlier. The chill of the night was distinct leaving me no choice but to dress. The soft fabric comforted me and the weight of the Millennium Puzzle around my neck made me feel safer than before. Once more, I glanced around the room, making certain I was alone and that there was nobody hiding within the shadows. I sighed. _What could it all mean?_ I looked to the night sky, lit only by the stars, and wished only for answers. The rest of the night passed somewhat quickly. I wandered around the courtyards, the many halls and rooms of the palace. I observed many disputes between servants, conversations amongst the guards, jumped at the slightest sound and wished for the company of my dear friend Mana. At last, my feet brought me to the throne room. My exhaustion was unavoidable. It crashed down upon me with such strength I was overwhelmed and collapsed in the middle of the room. I quickly fell unconscious.

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_My King, are you all right? Please, Pharaoh, open your eyes… Say something… _"Pharaoh!"

"Nh," I groaned. My entire body felt sore and overworked. I opened my eyes to find Maahad and Isis standing over me. Together they helped me to my feet while I silently tried to recall where I was and why they'd seem so surprised. "Pharaoh, are you alright?" Maahad asked. I nodded swiftly then silently sat upon the throne. Isis's eyes told me she did not believe me, however neither she nor Maahad said anything more. Eventually they left me alone, or as alone as one in a position such as myself can be. I sighed.

"Pardon the intrusion, Pharaoh, I come bearing news," the unmistakable voice of Seto drifted across the room. I focused my gaze on him as he bowed slightly before coming closer. I nodded for him to continue. "The Ambassador from Crete and his interpreter will be arriving any day now," he informed me.

Of course, how could I have forgotten? This was been planned for months before my father passed on. "Rooms have been prepared? Everything is set up, correct?" Seto nodded. "Everything is fine, my King. There's some last minute adjustments being made, however, we'll be fully prepared by tomorrow."

"See to it that there will be a feast to welcome our guests when they arrive," I ordered. Once more Seto nodded. As he left me, I started to wonder what the Ambassador would be like.

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Kari's POV:

"Kari, are you feeling alright? The sun isn't too much for you?" A small smile spread across my face as I nodded politely at the Ambassador. "Yes, sir, I'm just fine. Thanks for your concern," I responded gently. He nodded and pressed forward to catch up with the group. I lagged behind.

Truthfully, the sun was taking its toll on me. These many days of travel have been exhausting and I have received very little sleep along the way. My body yearns for a soft bed and pillows once more. I never even wanted to come along, however, when the Ambassador came to me expressing his desperate need for one well versed in the Egyptian language to come along with him, how could I refuse? It is my job after all. I remember that day clearly…

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"_Kari, may I speak to you?"_

_I looked up from my work and saw an older, graying man standing in the doorway. "Of course, how may I help you?" I asked. I quickly stood and ushered him into the room. "Well, as you know I've been preparing to leave on a trip to Egypt," he began. I found myself nodding slowly. The man, the Ambassador, took a seat and I followed suit. "Everything is all ready for when I need to leave. It should be soon. There's just one problem."_

_Right away, I knew what he was going to say and thus was prepared to answer him. "I don't speak the language of the Egyptians. You do, and I need someone to relay what I say to the Pharaoh. Please, Kari, would you come with me? It will be a journey like you've never experienced before."_

_To say I was surprised was a bit of an understatement. While I expected him to need me to go with him to Thebes, I had not expected him to ask me to go, to give me the choice. "It is my job and as such my duty to go with you. You know my answer," I stated a bit stiffly. The journey to Egypt would be long and unforgiving. Not one I would look forward to despite the beautiful architecture and the chance to view a place so far from home with my own eyes._

"_Kari," the Ambassador said seriously, "I'm not sure you understand me. I want, rather need you to come along, but I will not force you. Are you sure, this is what you want? Are you sure you can handle the journey?"_

_I nodded indignantly. The way he phrased that offended me a bit, however I understood. As I said, the journey would be a long and hard one. The desert sun beating down constantly would certainly make things worse no matter how prepared we are. Even so, it is not about what I want, it is about doing what is expected. What is right; and, doing my job._

"_Believe me, Ambassador; I'm more than capable of handling the journey to Egypt." However, I am not so sure about the trip back home. As if, I would worry him with something so trivial. "Not to appear rude, but I should be more concerned with how you will fare along the way. You're sure someone younger can't go in your stead?" The face of the Ambassador clouded over as the meaning of my words sunk in. With one look, I knew there was nobody else. Perhaps the Pharaoh himself had requested this Ambassador for reasons I cannot fathom._

_A few moments of tense silence followed before the Ambassador stood and walked back to the door. "We leave in the morning. You best prepare yourself." Then, with that, he left._

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"Kari," I heard my name called bit it seemed so distant. The sound of loud yet muffled hooves upon the sand raced towards me and before I knew it, someone from the group caught me before I had fallen off the horse lent to me. "Are you alright?" The man asked. I nodded and pushed off him. "I'm fine, just…a bit thirsty." He nodded and handed me a pouch of water from his hip. "I knew she should not have come," I heard the Ambassador say; his tone colored with concern and anger at himself.

"I promise you, I'm quite alright. I simply was distracted. Shall we press on? About how much longer until we reach the capital?" I asked. Nobody seemed to believe I was okay. I simply stared at them until one finally said, "It's almost noon now, we have a couple days left before we reach Thebes. We'll reach it sooner if we're lucky." Everyone nodded. "Let's continue."

Therefore, we pressed on. I wished to be back on the boat that had dropped us off in Alexandria. I wished to be back in my home, comfortably in Crete. I wish we would reach the capital already and meet with the Pharaoh. I would not mind a nice long rest before or after that…


	3. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! All rights go to their proper owners. All OCs are mine, of course, they came from my mind after all!**

Kari's POV

The shout came late in the afternoon; the sun was growing closer to the horizon casting a breathtaking red glow upon the desert. "Look," the man closest to the front called, "I can see buildings! We're almost to Thebes!" A murmur of excitement grew amongst us and many were relieved that soon we would be in a welcoming place.

Our pace sped up a bit as the anticipation rose until some were at an all-out sprint. I could not blame them. Together the Ambassador, our guides, and I rode down a main street in the market heading right for the palace gates. I held my head high and looked straight ahead in an attempt to ignore all the staring and pointed fingers as well as the whispered conversations between the people around me as I passed. It was clear that the Ambassador and I were foreign; we stood out so completely that I felt my cheeks coloring a bit from slight embarrassment.

"Keep calm always," the Ambassador, told me, "nobody shall harm you. You need to relax."

I nodded my head in acknowledgement and kept my eyes on our destination. So soon, we will be in the presence of the Pharaoh. Would you not be nervous?

My gaze traveled all around me, taking in my surroundings from the market stalls to the many onlookers. It all seemed so surreal. We continued a short while until we came to an enormous gate through which was the palace. Slowly, to my slight amazement, the doors opened and we walked through. The stone walkway had short walls lined both sides and many pillars sectioned off the rest of the courtyard. Moments later, we dismounted and continued into the large hall on foot. I could not see the ceiling, which made me feel particularly small and somewhat insignificant. From what I could see already, this place is like a completely different world, a gorgeous one at that, brilliant architecture, the colors, everything…Not to mention the carvings marking the walls. Past Pharaohs and other royal family watched us near the chamber in which we would come face to face with the man who summoned us here.

Eventually, a man greeted and instructed us on how to behave so we would not insult the Pharaoh, then sent us through the archway.

Atem's POV

"Excuse me, my King." I looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw Set. He bowed before me and then said, "The Ambassador has arrived in the city, shall he be sent in?" I nodded, "Yes, of course. Send him in right away." Another bow then he left.

I sat in silence for a few moments then finally heard the shuffling of feet and some chatter in another tongue. At last, an older man with gray hair and piercing eyes walked in accompanied by a young, fair haired, dark eyed woman. For an instant, I was mesmerized at the striking appearance of the short Lady from her sharp, clear eyes holding within their depths great intellect and a strong will to her lovely face which was likely capable of great tenderness but could no doubt petrify even the bravest man should she so choose.

"Welcome," I said easily. The woman bowed deeply but the man looked confused then angry. Shockingly, he began shouting, accusingly at me if pointed fingers and glares were anything to go by. Even his companion seemed surprised by his outburst. Finally, he fell silent and waited for the woman to speak.

"He…he says you're not the Pharaoh. The Ambassador does not like to be fooled and demands that the true Pharaoh come forth or we shall leave for home immediately. He says he has no business dealing with anyone but the King himself," the woman explained tentatively.

Isis and Maahad shouted in outrage startling the newcomers.

"Not the true Pharaoh?" Isis asked incredulously.

"How dare you make such a claim?" Maahad shouted.

The Lady cringed; my own temper threatened to show itself. "Please," the Lady said, eyes firm, "Let me explain." I held up a hand to silence any further comments from the two Guardians and waited as patiently as possible for the two foreigners to finish talking. I assure you, I was not patient at all. Would you sit by calmly if someone accused you of not being that which you are?

"It appears that he knows the Pharaoh quite well. According to him, the Pharaoh is a much older man," she explained.

In an instant, all anger washed out of me and my heart sank slightly. "My King," Maahad said quietly, walking closer to my side, "I don't understand…?" I simply shook my head and tried to find my voice, which unfortunately, had disappeared with my fury.

"I'm afraid that it seems…," Isis' voice carried softly across the room, "The man who you describe is the former Pharaoh Akunumkanon. Some time ago, he went on to the Afterlife and joined his divine family in the stars." For a second I felt her tentatively sorrowful gaze sweep over me, perhaps seeking assurance that her explanation is not out of turn. "This man you see before you is the only son and heir of Pharaoh Aknumkanon and is the new Pharaoh."

Silence was immediate. Understanding and comprehension dawned on the face of Lady Kari quickly followed by a mix of stunned shock and sympathy. The Ambassador remained blissfully unaware until, hesitantly, she relayed the news to him. All at once, he looked embarrassed and shocked, then, he was on his knees speaking rapidly, voice hoarse from the emotions running rampant inside of him. "He's begging your forgiveness for his harsh accusations," Kari said solemnly.

At last, I found words once more. "Be calm, it is to be expected that you would not know of something such as this. There is nothing to forgive as you were ignorant and only acted upon the knowledge you possessed. Please, rise, today is a day of celebration at your arrival. A feast in your honor is being prepared as we speak. However, you must be exhausted after such a long journey. Maahad, Isis, please show them to their chambers." Once more Kari's voice filled my ears as she softly explained to the Ambassador what I had just said, then, the two of them and the two Guardians filed out of the room.

I, too, found the need to leave as their footsteps died down. Quickly, I slipped out and allowed for a few tears to spill down my cheeks in the merciful darkness of the passageway.

**A/N: I am debating whether I will omit Kari's POV for the most part or not. I apologize for taking so long to get this up. I have been busy with school, (high school is annoying…) and then I had a cold, also stress from lack of running water doesn't make for a good writing state of mind (long story short, our well ran dry and we're trying to fix things)…Anyway, here it is, so I'll shut up now.**

**Do you people even read these? (Why does the fact that Word corrected 'guys' with 'people' amuse me?)**


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